New York City packs a lot into a small space. Five boroughs, hundreds of neighbourhoods, and no two blocks feel the same. Central Park sits in the middle of it all like the lungs of the city. The city is world famous for good reason, from the lights of Times Square to the view from the top of the Empire State Building. It is also one of the most multicultural places on earth, and the food shows it, old school delis, dumpling houses in Chinatown, and everything in between. Whatever pace you like to travel at, there is enough here to keep you busy for days. And, of course, one visit is never enough!
Community Tips For New York City
On arrival into JFK, much better to get the train into Jamaica and then the subway. This is almost always quicker and much cheaper than a taxi, which has many add ons as well as the fixed price.
Central Park is an institution. If you like running or walking, the 10k loop is well worth doing. The park also includes many sites such as the zoo and Strawberry Fields with the memorial to John Lennon.
Weather is a factor in NYC and can be very changeable day to day. Winter can be bitter and the summers burning hot. Pack accordingly.
There are always new things to do in the city, such as the High Line walkway which is a great way to see the city from a new vantage point.
If you want to see the Statue of Liberty, a good option is to take the Staten Island Ferry, which you can get from Downtown. Whilst in Staten Island, you can also take in the views and spend some time in the emotional memorial to the Twin Towers.
Explore New York City
Times Square
There is a booth to the north of Times Square which has half price theatre tickets for many of the shows. Check out the link here.
Jimmy’s Corner on west 44th Street, between Sixth and Seventh is an old school bar and famous for boxing memorabilia. Good value drinks too!
Grand Central station is just to the East of Times Square and is an amazing site in its own right. It has been in many movies over the years. You can do tours there, drink and relax in one of the bars or visit the library (Tony.)
Juniors Cheesecake is well known for the most fabulous cakes as well as gifts.
Soho/Tribeca
Famous as the location for all the top brand so a good place to head for shopping!
Washington Square park is beautiful, where you can stroll around as well as watch or play chess with the locals.
Pop up Bagels is really popular in the area and is located on 315 Greenwich Street.
Tribeca is also well known for its iron architecture and restored store fronts. A particular highlight is the Ghostbusters iconic firehouse at 14 North Moore Street.
Harlem
Harlem can be accessed easily on the subway or on foot from the beautiful and less crowded north side of Central Park.
It is well known for its unique charm and character. There are many jazz clubs and bars which are great for a night out. There is also the very small National Jazz Museum to visit.
Sylvia’s restaurant has become an instiution in Harlem serving soul food with warm southern hospitality.
A small aircraft carrier located on West Harlem Piers on the Hudson River is an interesting place to have drinks and snacks in the summer.
Downtown
The Downtown area is synonymous with the Freedom Tower and the Ground Zero memorials. Take time to walk around and also go inside the oculus transportation hub, which was built as part of the reconstruction.
The wall street bull is a famous symbol of the financial power of the USA. It is located on Broadway just north of Bowling Green.
Staying in Downtown is often better value than other areas, especially over the weekend where there is less corporate business. Options include various Marriott hotels and Cloud One.
Chinatown is located close by and is a great place to buy good and eat truly authentic Chinese food. There is also the amazing Classic Football Shirts New York store with incredible retro shirts located on 322 Canal Street.
You can get the ferry to many places from Downtown, including Governor’s island. It is car free and you can hire bikes when you are there or bring your own (Barbara.)
Brooklyn
Coney Island is a fun entertainment area with amusement parks and much to do. It also includes Brighton Beach which is very multi cultural and is also known as Little Russia or Little Odessa due to its many Russian and Ukrainian authentic eateries.
It is easily accessible by subway but it is also great to go there on the ferry from Downtown.
The ferry can take you to Williamsburg which is an eclectic mix of art and culture. It is also home to a very large religious Hassidic Jewish community, where you can experience a very different world and Jewish cuisine.
Dekalb Market Hall is a wonderful place to visit in downtown Brooklyn. It has a vast array of restaurants and is located in the lower level of city point hall (Joseph.)
Bronx
The Bronx is home to the Yankees, where you can go for a game or for a tour round the world famous stadium.
Wavehill Park in Riverdale has excellent views overlooking the city and the Hudson river.
The Bronx zoo is one of the most well known in the whole of the USA. They have introduced a flexible pricing policy meaning the prices can increase quite a lot nearer the date, so try to book well in advance!
Van Cortland Park is a vast wilderness area where you do all kinds of outdoors activities. There are over 20 miles of hking trails there and many other sports to be enjoyed.
